{"The Shadow of My Father" is
pure fiction. As I am writing this story, I am above the age of 21. If you want
a story with lots of sex, look elsewhere. This is a love story. Seeing, as it
is a love story, sex is in there, but it is in realistic balance in the
characters' lives.

Any similarity to any real
events, names, or life events is purely accidental. If you are underage,
(according to your state laws, a minor), if this literature is offensive to you
or to anyone around your viewing area, or it is illegal for you to view such
content where you are reading it, stop reading the story.

This story cannot be distributed
in any way, shape or form without authors' express written consent.}

Story Written by: J.P.G.

Love Scenes Written By: Trevor

Edited By: Trevor

Edited By: Jack

Edited By: Ed

Chapter 3

Josh got into the limousine and
sat down in between Cesar and Brandon. Before his father got into the car, he
wanted to let Brandon and Cesar know what is going on. He tapped them both on
the shoulders to get their attention. When they looked at him, he waved his
hand for them to get closer and then started to whisper.

"Just like both of you thought
the president asked me to sing this evening at the Lincoln Monument." Josh smiled at his boyfriend and brother, he could not hold it in. "I never thought
what you guys were saying was going to come to reality, but it has. To say I am
nervous is an understatement."

"We told you Jacob, aren't you
happy that we pushed you to have several songs ready for tonight?" With a big
grin on his face, Josh shook his head. "Okay then we already know the first two
songs you are going to sing, but what about the third. It has to be your
closing song and it has to be one that shows how much you love dad."

"I know Cesar, but that is the
one we can't agree on." The smile disappeared as Josh started to go through the
songs he knows in his mind. "I think what we need to do is find out who is
singing tonight for dad. According to the president there is at least a singer
from each area of music, even rap." Josh laughed at the thought of his father
sitting there listening to rap music.

Just as Brandon opened his mouth
to give his opinion, Barbara got in, followed by their dad. They clammed up and
sat back in their seats as the limousine started to pull away from the White
House. As the limousine pulled onto Pennsylvania Avenue, the car phone started
to ring. The governor looked down at it and over to Rich to see if he knew whom
it might be calling the phone right now.

Rich picked up the phone and not
even a minute into the conversation, he laid it down in his lap and leaned over
to the governor. In a very low whisper that only the governor could hear him,
he informed him that it was his ex-wives attorney on the line. The governor
told Rich to take a message, but Rich stopped him in mid sentence explaining he
needs to take the call. Reluctantly, the governor took the phone and answered
it.

"Unless there is a death, this
can wait until I get back into El Paso or even Austin." The governor spoke in a
forceful voice.

"I am sorry to bother you on this
day that should be a day of celebration, but I feel I should inform you what
was just finalized." The cockiness of the voice of the attorney on the other
end told Daniel Sr. whatever the news is, it will not be good for him. "Your
ex-wife had just signed and finalized a new plea agreement. This plea
overrides..."

"By the sounds of it sir there is
nothing I can do about it since it has been finalized. You have made that clear
several times already." Daniel interrupted the attorney angrily. "Also by your
tone whatever the plea she got isn't good news for me or my family. If you do
not mind, I would like to enjoy this day without the headache of my ex-wife.
There is plenty of time after today that I can do whatever I can to correct the
screw up you did."

The governor handed the phone
back to Rich without saying goodbye to Martha's attorney. "Get whatever news he
has to say and then hang up with him. Don't tell me or my family what it is
because I simply don't care anymore." Rich shook his head as he brought the
receiver up to his ear. "When we return to Austin, do whatever you can to fix
what they did. I don't want any more problems with that woman!"

The boys looked at each other and
knew whom their father was talking about. Josh looked over to Cesar and as they
both looked at each other, the same thoughts went through their minds, the
discussion they had the night they returned from the hospital after seeing
Martha. They made a promise to each other not to tell anyone what had happened
between Martha and Cesar, and this is why, neither of them wanted to upset
their father.

As soon as the Rich got off the
phone, the governor leaned over to him. "Call whoever you have to call that
deals with transferring calls to me and tell them they made a mistake on this
one. I do not want calls being transferred unless they are a matter of state
that has to be dealt with immediately. This call should have never been
transferred."

"I agree with you sir and I will
get right on it." With that, Rich re-picked up the phone and called the
switchboard that deals with the governor's calls. While he was taking care of that,
the boys were looking out their windows at the people that have lined up on the
side of the streets to get a glimpse at the president, their father or both of
them as the motorcade passed. None of the boys got over excited seeing the turn
out. They have become immune to the crowd their father brings out whenever he
leaves Austin.

When they reached the Lincoln Monument, the crowd that was there had to be in the hundreds of thousands Josh
thought. He looked around trying to take a stab at guessing, but gave up as the
motorcade came to a stop. Soon after they stopped, the doors were opened and
they climbed out of the limousine to the chants of the crowd.

At first, no one was able to make
head or tale of what they were chanting, but as they started walking, they were
able to hear what the crowd was actually saying. None of them said anything
because they were not sure if they were hearing the chant right, but that all
changed when they saw the signs that many of them were holding up.

They all said the same thing.
"Four years of Bush and Lopez!"

Daniel Sr. ignored the signs and
the chants as he made his way to the monument. When he and his family reached
the steps, a big smile went across his face. Not only was Johnny there, but
also the rest of the officers that where part of his staff. One by one, he
shook their hands and thanked them for coming. They all informed the governor
it was their honor and that they would not miss this event for anything.

When the governor and his family
got to the top of the stairs of the Lincoln Monument, they turned and looked
down at the sea of people that came out to see him retire. Daniel Sr. did not
know if he should take this turn out as a good or bad thing. Then when he saw
all the signs, he knew it was a good thing.

The Lopez family stood there
waving at the sea of people. As they stood there, the crowd got louder and
louder. It got so loud no one was able to hear themselves think, more so hear
the person standing beside them talking. The crowd did not get any quieter even
when the governor and his family stopped waving and took their seats.

When the president and the first
lady started their way up the stairs of the Lincoln Monument, the chants grew
even louder. The troops that were lined up all the way to the top of the stairs
went to attention the moment the president came into view, just as they did
when the governor arrived. They brought up their salute before the president
and the first lady reached them and did not bring it down until the president
was at least six feet away from them. The same treatment that the governor got,
the president got from the troops as he made his way up to the Lincoln Monument.

As the president and the first
lady got to the top, the governor, his family and anyone else that was sitting
down got up. Those that were in uniform went to attention and brought up their
salute before the President reached them, including the governor. This will be
the last time he will ever put on his uniform. After today, the governor is
just that, the governor, no longer in the military.

President Bush shook hands with
each person he and the first lady passed as they made their way to their seats.
Those that were in uniform he saluted them and then shook their hands when they
brought their salute down. When he reached the governor, he stood in front of
him, saluted him and then leaned in and whispered. "Hear that, the people love
you! There is no doubt one day you will be where I am, and I am glad it is not
this November." President Bush laughed as he patted the governor on his
shoulder.

As soon as the first speaker
started to talk, the crowd that gathered there to see Daniel Sr. retire quieted
down. They listened as each speaker went up and spoke about their experiences
they had with Daniel. Not one of them spoke ill of him. A couple poked a few
jokes at him, but it was all in good taste.

An hour into the speeches from
Daniel's closest and personal friends, it came time for him to officially hand
over his position as commander of ground troops. The President got up, followed
by General Lopez and the four star general that was going to be the new
commander. President Bush went through the proceedings and in no time, the
handover of his position was done. Now all that is left is for the president to
make his speech and then Daniel Sr. and he will then be officially retired from
the army.

General Lopez and the new
commander of ground troops made their way back to their seats as the President
made his way to the podium. He looked out at the sea of people and could not
believe that these many people turned out to be present for this. As he cleared
his throat, President Bush looked over to the Teleprompters to see if his
speech has been queued up ready. When he saw it was, he looked back out to the
crowd.

"Today some may say is a sad day
for this country; we are losing a great leader from our military ranks. Others
they will say it is a new beginning and only the sky is the limit for General
Daniel Lopez. I myself believe in the second thought of what today means, a new
beginning. A new beginning for all Americans, and not just those who live in Texas.

General Lopez served our nation
with pride and honor throughout his military career. Achieving honors beyond
many of those that came before him. Redefining how our leaders should lead not
only in peacetime, but also when our nation is at war. He brought back an old
tradition that disappeared in the late seventies.

Our leaders have become leaders
who believe that they can lead from behind, instead of being on the battlefield
with their soldiers, not General Lopez. He was the first on the battlefield and
was the last to leave. He was willing to give his life so the youth of our
nation did not have to.

This is a man who believes in
peace, not war. This may appear strange because of the career path he chose to
go down. If all nations lived in peace, there would be no need for a military,
which he didn't mind." The president looked over at General Lopez. "One day, a
couple years ago I sat down with General Lopez and I asked him a question that
had been bothering me ever since I heard what he believed in. The answer he
gave me at first stunned me, but the more and more I thought about it, I came
to understand his thinking.

We as leaders need to find
peaceful solutions to the problem that are facing us instead of quickly turning
to our militaries to solve our problems. Even though this nation has never gone
into war without first being attacked, we could still try a little harder to
bring out a peaceful resolution without spilling the blood of our youth. As
General Lopez explained to me, we need our youth if we are going to stay a
dominant fixture in the world.

General Lopez not only has been
given the highest medals and honors that our nation can bestow on him, but he
is the first American soldier to be honored by the Queen of England. That alone
is an accomplishment all its own." The place erupted into applause so loud it
could be heard miles away.

"Our Nation is losing a military
leader here today, but is gaining a political leader for tomorrow." Applauds
broke out again, followed by chants calling Daniel for president. "I am with
you on what you are saying. There is no doubt that he is going to reach the
highest office of this land and what a day that will be for our nation."

The chants got louder and louder
for Daniel to run for president that President Bush had to stop talking until
they were done. He rarely goes off script as he just did, and this is why. It
is hard to get back control of how the speech is going. After almost close to
ten minutes of chanting it got quiet.

"General Lopez, although we are
losing you from our military, we are not losing you for good. Right now, you
are making the state of Texas a place that all Americans want to live in and
when you are done there, you will set your eyes on the seat I am holding
today. If anyone is more suited for this job, it is you.

You are leaving the service of
your nation here today, but when you are called upon to serve her again, I know
you will not hesitate to answer the call. The love you have for this nation
tells me that, and I cannot wait until the day that happens. Our nation will be
better off that day as it was the day you joined the service.

Ladies and gentleman will you
please help me bring to the podium General Daniel Lopez." The president stepped
away from the podium and started to applaud with the crowd. General Lopez got
up from his seat, hugged, and kissed his wife. As he made his to the podium, he
hugged each of his kids, his brother, and then his mother.

As they held each other, Rose
spoke softly into her son's ear. "You deserve all this Danny, you really do.
Take it all in and never forget that in one way or another you touched every
person's life no matter if they served under you or not. They have their
freedom partly because you and all the other men and women in our military are
willing to give their life."

Daniel broke the hug and looked
down at his mother with a smile, barely holding it together. He saw that his
mother was not having any such luck. Pulling out his handkerchief, Daniel wiped
away the tears rolling down his mothers face. As he leaned in to give her a
kiss on the cheek, he told her that he loved her, which got her crying again.

Once more, he wiped away the
tears from his mother's face; Daniel turned around and started his way to the
podium. As he made his way, he turned and began to wave at the people that came
out to see him. What seemed like an eternity to Daniel was only a few minutes'
walk from his mother to the podium. As he stepped up to the podium, the
president shook his hand after returning the salute to Daniel. The president
took his seat as Daniel turned and looked out to the people that came out to
see him retire.

Clearing his throat, he leaned in
a little to the microphones and started to speak. "Thank you so much for coming
out here today to see me off." The crowd got louder, making the general stop
until they quieted back down. "You all being here is a great honor to not only
me, my family, but the soldiers that I have been honored to serve along side
of. I am here today because of them and I will never forget that.

Not once in my military career
did I think I was more than anyone else that I served with, even when I was
promoted to the rank of four-star general. One man cannot run the military,
fight a war, keep our nation safe, and protect the freedoms we all have been
given as Americans. It takes everyone person that puts on a uniform to do that
and we as leaders cannot forget that. We must remember where we came from and
that is from the ranks where all soldiers start.

To all those young men and women
that I had the honor to serve with, thank you and I will never forget the hard
work you do every day of your military career. After today, I may no longer be
a general in the US Military, but that does not mean I will stop being a
soldier. As long as there is a breath in me, I will always bleed red, white,
and blue." The crowd erupted into applause, giving Daniel a chance to drink
some water.

"I will always be here for the
troops no matter what position I hold. The troops I served with gave me the
chance to come home each time I went out on the battlefield, and I will do
everything in my power to do the same. If it is equipment you need, more
benefits for your families, better pay, or just a person to talk to, I will be
here for you. I will fight for you to always have the best our nation can give
you, and your families. The American soldiers put their lives on the line everyday
for us here at home. We should at least do what we can to give them the best as
they serve our nation.

Today I leave a post that I have
been honored to hold. As I do so, I feel as if a part of me is being ripped
out. Although in time I will fill that void, but I will never forget the days I
served in this nations military. I will never forget the young men and woman
that I had the honor to get to know and be with over the years. Moreover, I
will never forget the love that was given to our military by you, the American
people.

I came to Washington as a
four-star general this morning and I will leave as the governor of the great
state of Texas. A job that I have been proud to hold over a year now and will
be honored to hold as long as the people of the great state of Texas gives it
to me." The crowd started chanted president repeatedly.

"As long as there is work to be
done in Texas and the voters of Texas believe in me as the person to get the
work done, I will stay where I am. If the day ever comes that my nation calls
upon me to serve as its president and the people of my state release me from my
obligations to them, I will be more than willing to come here to Washington to serve the entire nation once again. In fact, I would be honored to do so."

Daniel turned to look at his
family. "And without my family's support, I would not have accomplished what I
have in my life. I know I lost many years with my boys, but I plan not to lose
anymore. I know, more so now than ever, without family, a person is nothing."
Daniel turned back to a quiet crowd. "If you all take anything from me here
today, take this. Never take your family for granted, because you will never
know when you are going to leave this world. Love your family, your friends,
and your neighbors each day. If you see a person in need, and you can help
without going without, give a helping hand to that person. You will be rewarded
for the kindness that you show others.

Thank you one and all for coming
down here today on this special day in my life. I will never forget the
response I got from you today and throughout my career." General Lopez took a
breath as he looked out to the crowd that began to cheer again. "I will always
be your humbled servant and be here whenever you call upon me to serve you once
again. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!"

The general took a couple steps
back from the podium and looked out as everyone took to their feet and started
applauding once again. It did not take long before the chant started up again.
Daniel soaked it all up, but knew it was not his time to run for the highest
office in the land. Maybe years down the line, but not this election cycle.

Before he could turn and make his
way back to his family, his family had made their way to him. They engulfed him
into a family hug and held it for as long as they could. It took the president
and first lady to break their family hug. Once the family stepped back behind
the governor, the first lady walked up to him first.

"Enjoy this moment because these
kinds of moments are far and few between." The first lady whispered as she
hugged Daniel. "Take it from an old politician's wife this doesn't last. Once
this wears off, they are back looking for everything you are doing wrong and
they hit you over the head with it whenever they get a chance."

As they broke their hug, Daniel
looked down at the first lady and smiled at her. "I know what you are saying
ma'am. The president has a lot more years on me in the political world, but
this last year has been hell. A day does not go by without the press beating me
over the head about one thing or another."

Both of them cracked up laughing.
"What are you two talking about?" President Bush smiled as he shook Daniel's
hand. "Let me guess, my hair." The first lady and Daniel looked at each other
and as they looked over at the president, then started laughing again.

As they turned to face the
audience, they stopped laughing and just smiled as they stood side by side
waving. After a few minutes, the governor's family joined them and started to
wave. Josh, his brothers and Cesar felt weird standing their waving. They know
that they are no more important than anyone else standing there is. That alone
is why they feel weird standing at the top of the stairs of the Lincoln Monument waving as if they are royalty or something.

They stood there over ten minutes
waving, letting those that wanted to take a picture. The governor wanted to
leave after five minutes of standing there, but did not budge because the
president was not ready. He knew his kids were bored and wanted to eat and
relax a little before coming back here in a couple of hours for the concert.

On the way back to the
motorcades, the president and the governor took turns shaking hands and signing
autographs to those that made it to the rope line. They pretty much echoed what
they were chanting as the leaders shook their hands. They wanted the president
to change his ticket to have the governor as his running mate. Neither the
president nor the governor responded to them.

When they reached the motorcade,
the president turned and called the governor over to his limousine. "You know
what they were saying on you being on my ticket isn't a bad idea." The governor
could not believe what he was hearing. There is no way the president really
means what he is saying. "Think about it and let me know before you leave."
President Bush started to get into the car when he called the governor back
over. "What I just said stays between the two of us."

The governor agreed with the
president as he turned to make his way to his car. Josh and the others asked
their father what he and the president was talking about the minute he got into
the car. Be true to his word, he made up a lie and the kids dropped it. All the
way back to the hotel, the governor could not stop thinking what the president
just offered. He needed to talk to someone about it, so when he and Barbara
were alone in their room, Daniel opened up on his discussion he had with the
president as they were leaving.

Barbara had the same reaction
that Daniel did when she heard what was offered to him, stunned. "Do you think
he was being serious or just saying it because the people out there had been
chanting it all morning?"

"To tell you the truth, I don't
know." Daniel started to pace around his room. "He already has a vice-president
and there is no way he is going to drop him from the ticket, not after serving
with him already for four years. It would look like the president is flip
flopping on his choice for a running mate and that he doesn't need right now."

"Plus honey you and he don't see
eye to eye on major issues. You are a leader and you will voice your opinion
even if he does not want to hear it. Still at the end of the day, he will make
the final decision on what course to take. You do not want to be tied down to
his policies because you will not get a term of your own. By the looks of it,
he is finally seeing what you have seen all long, he is in trouble."

"Yes, that is true, but if the president
is actually serious on this offer, I cannot pass it up. There are ways a vice
president can be his own person while serving the wants of his president. It is
hard, but it can be done."

"It can be done, that I agree
with. At the same time how much of his policies will be tied into you no matter
how hard you work to show you do not support the policies. When it is all said
and done, you have to go out and support whatever decision the president makes.
Really, think about that. Can you honestly do that even though you know the
policies of this president will do more harm than good?"

Daniel sat down next to Barbara
on the bed and started to think about what is being offered to him. The more he
thought about it, the more he realized what Barbara was saying was right. There
is no way he can really set himself apart from the president's policies, not as
long as he is serving as his vice president.

"You are right on what you said
Barbara. Moreover, I was elected governor of Texas less than a year ago. On top
of that, I just retired from the military. I need to stay where I am and do the
work that I promised to do. Maybe after serving the state of Texas as their
governor for a while I might re-look at a run for the White House."

Nothing more was said about the
subject. Daniel had made up his mind and was going to let the president know
when he and his family return to the White House later this evening for dinner.
Until then, he will relax and not think about anything except the concert that
is being held in his honor tonight.

Meanwhile in the other room,
Josh, Cesar, and Brandon were gathered in the corner discussing the songs that
he should sing tonight. Each of them had their favorites and wanted Josh to
sing them. After thirty minutes of going back and forth, they agreed on all the
songs he is going to sing except one, the one that would honor their dad.

"Josh I still think the song that
Brandon and I are suggesting for you to sing is the right one for tonight. It
brings everything you think and feel about your father to the forefront and
lets our dad know how much we love him. He needs that right now. We all know
the call he got in the limousine has something to do with Martha. Whatever it
is, it is not good news for any of us."

"I agree with you Cesar on the
last part, but not on the song. The song you guys want me to sing seems to me
as more of a love song than honoring a parent." Josh got up and walked over to
his bag to get the sheet music. As he walked back to Cesar and Brandon, he
handed them each a copy of the song. "Really look at the lyrics of this song
and tell me the truth, is it the right one for dad?"

Both Brandon and Cesar skimmed
through the sheet music several times before answering. When they finished and
answered Josh, they had not changed their mind, which did not make Josh happy.
He got up, took the sheet music from them, and headed over to where his
brothers are sitting. Without telling them any detail, he asked them to read
the lyrics and give their opinion on what kind of song it is.

Just like Brandon and Cesar,
Daniel Jr. and Carlos skimmed over the lyrics several times before telling Josh
what they thought. "It is a very nice love song if I don't mind saying so
myself." Daniel Jr. said as he handed the sheet music back to Josh. "It is a
general love song, but still a love song all the same."

Immediately Cesar jumped in. "Yes
you are right the song can be used as a love song, but it can also be used as a
song to pay tribute to another person no matter what sex they are, or who they
are, right?" Cesar looked at Daniel with a death stare.

Daniel Jr. took the music back
and re-read it several more times. The more he read it, the more he saw where
Cesar was coming from. It was a general love song. Nowhere in the verses does
it say anything about a guy or girl and their love. The lyrics are so generic
that it can be used as a song to honor their father tonight. Almost every verse
of the song hit right down the middle of what their father has done for them.

"Look I can see now where Cesar
is coming from. This song would be perfect for you to sing to our dad tonight.
He was there when everything was at its worse for you and all of us. We got
through it all because of his love and because of his support. Because of that,
we are stronger people today than we were a year ago."

Daniel got up and walked over to
Josh. He started to go through each line of the song and point out how it does
work for their father. Repeatedly Josh tried to explain it would not work
because of the tone of the song. The way the music was written and the way he
actually sings the song, it would not work. After seeing he was not getting
through to his brother, Josh went and got the CD and played the song for them.

When it was done none of the boys
changed their minds. "I don't understand why you are having a problem with the
song, it is perfect for dad." Daniel went to play it again, but Josh stopped
him. He did not want his father to hear them. "Look, sing it exactly like the
way you put it on the CD here and it will bring everyone to tears, trust me."

"I was thinking of not singing
one of my songs for dad, but one of George Straits. He has a song out there
called "Love without End, Amen". That song is perfect for dad and I am leaning
more towards that song this one."

"Even I heard that song and I
don't like country music." Carlos spoke for the first time since the
conversation started. "The song is a great song for dads, but it has been worn
out. You need to do something that has never been done. Dad only retires once
from the military and you should honor him with a song that has never been sung
before."

"Josh, I agree with our brother
on that one. Let me speak on one more thing that Carlos said, I am sure Brandon and Cesar will agree with me. The song that you just mentioned is a great song, but
not for you to sing to dad. The beginning of the song hits right at home, but
after that, the song does not. It gives a year, I think nineteen eighty-two or
three and he became a father. Both of those things will not work for you or any
of us for the matter to sing to dad. The year is wrong, which you can replace,
but we are still in high school."

Josh listened to every word his
brothers and Cesar said. By the time they were done discussing it, Josh knew
his song was the best song to sing to his dad. He truly does love him and when
he saw the song they are talking about in the pack of songs that George sent,
it reminded him of everything his dad did for him in the last year and then
some.

With the song selection out of
the way, Josh and Cesar snuck off to their room to be alone. At first, they sat
on the bed and just talked. Eventually being teenagers, they could not keep
their hand off each other. Before they knew it, they were tumbling around in
their bed, pulling each other's clothes off.

They thought they were being
quiet, but they were wrong. Daniel Jr., Brandon and Carlos heard them having
fun in their room. They tried to ignore it at first by turning on the
television and talking, but no matter what they did, they heard them. It got to
the point that they started talking about what was going on in that room.

"I really hope that they don't go
as far as actually screwing because whoever gets screwed will be walking funny
all night long." Brandon and Carlos cracked up laughing imagining their brother
Josh walking on the stage all bow legged. "Man those two are lucky that they
can have sex whenever they want to and not worry about getting each other
pregnant. Can any of you imagine our brother waddling around with a bun in the
oven?" Unable to answer Daniel, Brandon and Carlos were laughing too much.

They were too busy imagining and
laughing at what it might look like when their father and mother walked into
the room. Daniel Sr. smiled at his sons and wanted in on the joke, but they
stayed quiet. They had no idea if their father would take it wrong, so they did
not say a word. Even though they know, they were not being mean in any way.

When Daniel Sr. asked for the
third time what was so funny, Josh and Cesar came stumbling out of their room,
catching everyone's attention. They tried to play it off what they were doing,
but no one was falling for it. They were sticking in their shirts and buttoning
up their pants as they were walking towards them.

"I see what all the laughter was
all about." Daniel Sr. laughed a little under his breath as he brushed his hand
through Josh's hair as he passed him. "I know you two are hungry after the
workout you just had. At least if I was in your shoes I would be." That did it
for the boys, they stopped laughing, and their smiles almost disappeared. They
did not want to hear about their father having sex. With their stepmother
pregnant, it is proof enough.

"Okay since I sucked all the air
out of this room with what I just said, I guess we should be going then."
Daniel smiled at his sons feeling good that he was able to wipe the smiles off
their faces. He knew that there was only one thing that will, without a doubt,
gross out his kids and he played that card.

On their way out the door, they
grabbed everything they needed for the evening since they knew they were not
coming back until after the concert. The ride to the White House was loud
because everyone was speaking almost at once. At times, there were several
different conversations going on at once in the car, but that did not matter.
They were all enjoying their time and that made Daniel Sr. happy.

As soon as their motorcade drove
up, the president and the first lady met them. All the way to the private
residence, they all talked in general, nothing about the question that the
president asked the governor earlier in the day. When they were alone talking
about what was going too happened at the concert, Daniel Sr. took that
opportunity to let the president know what he had decided.

"I respect your decision and I
know you thought long and hard on it." President Bush took a sip of his drink
as he sat down. "I meant what I said this morning about one day you holding
this office. As surely as I am sitting here, I am certain in ten years or less
you will be here. When that day comes, out nation will be better off with you
at the controls."

"I don't understand why everyone
thinks that sir. I am barely able to run the state I am running now. There is
no way I can sit where you are sitting at."

"Trust me Daniel you will be here
and you will do this job better than any man that has come before you. I know
you feel lost right now, but you need to keep in mind you are barely starting
your political life. After a few years under your belt, you will be running
your state as if you were doing it all your life. It will become second
nature."

The governor thanked the
president for his kind words and changed the conversation back to the concert.
As they were getting into the details of the concert, they were called in to
eat. The president grabbed his drink and walked with Daniel to the table.
Before sitting down, the president told Daniel that he would remember this
concert for the rest of his life. When he heard that, Daniel could not stop
wondering what the president meant.

All through dinner, the president
asked the governor's kids what he needed to do in order to gain voters. None of
them held back and told the president what they thought. By the time dessert
was on the table, the president got an ear full. He tried to take as many
mental notes as possible on what he was being told, but he gave up somewhere in
the middle. The kids were just throwing too much at him that he could not keep
up.

Right before they headed back out
to the Lincoln Monument, the president and first lady pulled a surprise for the
Lopez family. "By the time the concert is over, your stuff will be brought from
the hotel over here. The first lady and I will not take no this time on you all
spending the night here at the White House as our guests."

Josh, his brothers and Cesar
looked at their father and mother with pleading eyes. The way they were looking
at them, Daniel and Barbara could not say no. So when they gave in and said
yes, the boys high fived each other and thanked the president for inviting them
stay the night. They know when they go back to school; they will be the envy of
their friends, classmates and in Daniel Jr., Carlos, and Brandon's case their
girlfriends.

All the way to the Lincoln Monument, the boys kept asking their father if he knew who was performing tonight.
He threw out a few names, which did not catch the older Lopez boy's attention.
They understand why they bring singers like those that they do for events like
this, but they should occasionally try to bring in a band that might interest
the youth of this nation.

When they arrived, the band that
was performing ended their song before it was over. As everyone got out of the
limousine, Josh could swear that the crowd got bigger since this morning. When
they started cheering, it confirmed it to Josh that indeed the crowd is a lot
bigger than it was this morning during their father's actual retirement.

It felt weird to the boys as they
made their way to the front where they seats were. The crowd grabbed onto them
as if they were the performers. Being as polite as they could, they shook hands
and removed the hands of those that would not let go of their arms. About
midway to their seats, the secret service pushed the rope line further away
from the governor's family. Not only was it getting unsafe for the governor and
his family, but also it will be unsafe for the president and the first lady
when they make their way through.

As soon as the first family of Texas made it to their seats, the president and the first lady started their way to the
front. Once they got there, they turned around waved for a few minutes and then
took their seats, followed by the Lopez family. The band that was playing
welcomed their new guest, wished the governor good luck on his retirement and
resumed the song they were playing when they arrived.

The band that was playing was not
a famous band, just the opening act for the stars of the show. To Daniel Jr.
and Carlos' surprise, the first famous band to hit the stage was Prince. They
looked at their father surprised, but did not say a word. Instead, they turned
around, sat in their seats, and enjoyed the show.

When Prince finished his part of the
show, he said a few words to the governor and the president before leaving the
stage. The next singer on was a country singer, Vince Gill, one of the
president's favorite singers, then followed up by another country group, The
Judd's. Surprisingly to the older Lopez boys they were not boring at all. They
put on a very exciting show for them and all the people that showed up to be
entertained tonight.

Once the Judd's walked off the
stage, a rock band, Motley Crue, followed them up. Even the governor and the
president got into the music by their second song. They were careful on what
they picked to sing, but at the end of it all, it was great. They sang their
most popular songs that got the crowd energized.

As Motley Crue was performing,
Josh was rethinking his song selections. So far, all the entertainers sung up
beat songs, getting the crowd into it. His first song and last song he plans to
sing might actually do the opposite and put the audience to sleep. His middle
song is more energized, but it might be a little too late when he gets to it.

Cesar saw the look on Josh's face
that always gets him worried when he has that look. He grabbed Josh's hand
hoping that he could pull his boyfriend out of his own mind. It took a few
seconds, but Josh did come back to reality. Cesar leaned over and talked into
Josh's ear. Not having to whisper because the music was so loud even his normal
voice was hard for Josh to hear.

"What ever you're thinking, stop
it. Get it out of your mind and get ready to perform after the next singer. You
are going to be great and I know dad is going to remember this night. Not
because of all these others stars, but because of you and what you are going to
sing, He is going to see firsthand all the hard work you have been putting in to..."

Josh leaned in and kissed Cesar.
Once Motley Crue finished and started their way off the stage that was Josh's
cue to make his way to the back stage. He told his father that he and Cesar
were going to the restrooms and then to go and get something to drink. Daniel's
only comment was to make sure his security detail was with him. Josh nodded his
head and he and Cesar made their way down the row and to the side of the
monument.

As they made their way, Josh
could not believe who came out onto the stage, Garth Brooks. The fans went wild
the minute they saw him walk out. Seeing that he was going to have to follow
Garth Brooks made him even more uneasy than he already was. Garth not only
sells out concert after concert, but his performances are legendary. The man
knows how to put on a show that keeps people talking for weeks after they see
him in person.

Josh watched Garth perform as he
and Cesar made their way up the stairs of the monument. When they reached the
top, the security stopped them, but once they saw it was Josh, they let them
through. Josh stood there with Cesar at his side as Garth gave another
excellent show. Although he only sang three songs, like the others, he sang his
number one hits that kept the audience on their feet.

After several encores of The
River, Garth finally ended the song. He waited for the audience to settle down
before he started to speak. "What an honor it is for me to be here performing
for you all today. Not only for the great turn out we got, but because of what
today is. Thank you Mr. President and Madam First Lady for inviting me to
perform here tonight, and you Governor Lopez, what an honor! Although I never
met you while you were in the military, by what I have been told and read. I
know we did indeed lose a great military leader here today with your
retirement. There is no doubt that this is not going to be the last time any of
us see you here on the big stage."

The audience broke out in
applauds and cheers. "The next performer that is going to come out on this
stage really does not really need any introduction, but I am going to go ahead
and give him one anyway. He has not performed in many venues, but the ones he
has, placed him in the forefront of Country music and the American people. With
his unique voice, he is able to bring his audience in for the ride of the songs
he sings. I am sure tonight will be no different. Singing his own songs for the
first time, please help me welcome on the stage the son of the Governor of
Texas, Joshua Lopez."

The lights went dim as the
audience went to their feet. Daniel looked over at the president knowing he was
part of this. President Bush smiled at Daniel Sr. before he turned his
attention back to the top of the staircase of the Lincoln Monument. Before the
music started to play, Garth made his way off the stage. A blue spot light was
turned on and Josh appeared with his guitar strapped to his shoulder.

As the music started to play,
Daniel Sr. knew the song. He recognized it as one of the ones that his son has
been working on ever since they moved into the new house. At first, he could
not remember the name, but after the first verse, it came to him; "Best Things
in Life" was the name. Daniel really loved the song, and he was not the only
one.

By the middle of the song, the
audience was into the song as well. Just like Garth Brooks said when he
introduced his son. Josh somehow is always able to pull the audience into the
song with him. He makes them feel what he is feeling, the meaning of the song.

When Josh finished his first
song, the audience was on their feet. Neither the band nor Josh rested between
songs; they went right into the next one, which stunned Josh's family. They
knew he was working on this song, but never thought he was going to play it
here tonight in front of the president and the first lady.

The song was far from his normal
choice he always goes for whenever he performs in front of his father and the
president. It was more like rock n roll, and the audience loved it. Josh pulled
out the song called "Livin' La Vida Loca". The trumpets started to play and
then Josh crowded the microphone and really got into the song, which got the
audience on their feet.

The girls Josh's age and even
some older jumped out of their seats and rushed up the stairs as far as they
could go. Stunned at the reaction their brother was getting, they could not
believe the girls were doing what they were doing. They all know the person
performing is gay, but they are screaming at him to be their boyfriend.

As Josh sang, he really got into
the song he was singing. For the first time he was actually moving around on
the stage, dancing and really giving the audience a show. The girls that rushed
the stairs were pushing and clawing at each other to get a better position.
Towards the middle of the song, several panties and bras were thrown towards
Josh, only making him get more into the song he was singing.

Daniel Sr. looked around to see
if anyone was taking offense to what his son was singing, but there was not
anyone. They were all enjoying the performance, including the president and the
first lady. As the song was coming to the end, several of the performers that
came before Josh made their way down the stairs to get a glimpse of a performer
that will be breaking records that some of them hold very soon.

It took a few minutes for the
audience to settle down and even longer for the girls that rushed the stairs to
make their way back to their seats. Once it got quite enough that Josh was
certain that his father would hear what he was saying, he started to speak.

"Thank you ladies and gentleman
for coming out here tonight and celebrating with me, my brothers, mother, and
the rest of my family. My father is a great man and is always there whenever we
need him. Without going into detail, my father was there for me when I needed
him the most. Last year when I thought my world was ending, he was there to
pick me up and hold me whenever I needed him to. He is not only a great
general, a great governor, but as well, the greatest father a son or daughter
could ask for. The next song I am about to sing is for you dad, and it is not
only coming from me, but from all your sons. We love you!"

Back in El Paso, Martha was
watching and when she heard one of her sons call the woman at her ex-husbands
side his mother, she almost blew her top. In her mind, she is nothing but a
little whore that stole her family. Now seeing that she has actually taken her
place not only in the home, but also by title, made Martha even more determined
to get her out of the house and life that should be hers.

By this point Josh made his way
halfway down the stairs and sat down. All the lights except one went off. The
only light left on was the blue spotlight shining down onto Josh. The music
started to play, which Daniel Sr. did not recognize this time. For the first
time Josh did not have his guitar on for a slow song. He was sitting there in
the middle of the stairs with just a microphone in his hand.

You were my strength when I
was weakYou were my voice when I
couldn't speakYou were my eyes when I
couldn't seeYou saw the best there
was in meLifted me up when I
couldn't reachYou gave me faith 'coz
you believedI'm everything I amBecause you loved me

Closing his eyes tight, Josh
started to sing from his heart, and immediately everyone felt the emotion in
his voice. They sat there in silence and listened to the son of the retiring
general, the governor of Texas sing. He was spilling out his heart for the
world to see how much he truly loves his father.

For all those times you
stood by me,For all the truth that
you made me see,For all the joy you
brought to my life,For all the wrong that
you made right,For every dream you made
come true,For all the love I found
in you,I'll be forever thankful.
You're the one who held
me upNever let me fallYou're the one who saw
me through it all.

As the band started to play, many in the audience were
already getting misty eyed and Daniel Sr. was one of them. Not once did he stop
looking into his son's eyes from the moment he started to sing. Everything Josh
is feeling, the unwavering love he has for his father was showing on his face,
which was breaking through his father's armor once again. Daniel is trying to
fight it, but he knows if this song does not end soon, he will not last and the
whole world will see him crying.

You were my strength when I
was weak,You were my voice when I
couldn't speak,You were my eyes when I
couldn't see,You saw the best there
was in me.Lifted me up when I
couldn't reach,You gave me faith 'coz
you believed,I'm everything I amBecause you loved me.

You were always there for
me,The tender wind that
carried me,A light in the dark
shining your love into my life.You've been my
inspiration,Through the lies you
were the truth,My world is a better
place because of you.

Just like the times before when
Josh sat singing the way he is singing right now, from his heart, the audience
felt it completely and started to cry. No matter who they were, a secretary, a
stay at home mother, construction worker or soldier, they were all in tears at
this point. Even Martha back in El Paso was fighting back the tears. She did
not want to cry, not for the son that she feels has let her down. Nothing that
she was doing was able to keep her from breaking into tears along with everyone
that is sitting in front of theirtelevision watching Josh perform.

You were my strength when I
was weak,You were my voice when I
couldn't speak,You were my eyes when I
couldn't see,You saw the best there
was in me.Lifted me up when I
couldn't reach,You gave me faith 'coz
you believed,I'm everything I amBecause you loved me.

Because you loved me.

You saw the best
in me

Ooh because you loved me.

You saw the best
in me

Because you loved me,
Ooh

Because you loved me.

Josh closed his eyes as he sang
the last few words. He belted them out as if they were the last words that he
will ever speak. He was barely able to get the final words out before he fell
apart on the stage. Tears started to roll down his cheeks as he sat there with
the spotlight on him and the music finishing. Daniel Sr. saw that and that was
it, tears started to roll down his cheeks as well. Barbara already was crying,
so when she saw Daniel, she grabbed his hand and held it tight.,

The audience there in person, and
at home that was not in tears yet, were, when Josh finished the song. When the
music ended, there was complete silence. The last time Josh had that happen to
him was when he finished singing at the base the day he was trying to honor the
troops that gave their lives for this country.

Although it was quiet when the
music ended, it did not last long. The audience jumped to their feet and
started applauding and cheering. As Josh got up, his father who immediately got
up from his seat met him when the music stopped playing. He pulled his son into
a hug, something that is becoming a norm for this family after Josh's
performances. Josh can hit where it counts when he sings, the heart.

"Thank you son for this, thank
you..." Daniel Sr. is barely able to choke out the words as he held his son.
"When everyone kept telling me this concert I will never forget, I didn't know
what they meant until now. They were right; I will never forget this concert.
Not for the stars that came before you, but because of the performance my son
honored me with."

Before
Josh could reply to his father, the rest of the Lopez clan had made their way
up to them and joined into the hug. As they stood there in the middle of the
staircase of the Lincoln Monument, the audience there and at home looked on.
Not for one second did the audience that was in person stop applauding. Just
like the governor, they will never forget this concert as long as they live.

Back in
El Paso, Martha was going crazy when she saw her family out there on national
TV without her. On top of that, her replacement was right there in the thick of
things, which got her going even more. The nursing staff and doctors on her
floor knew this might happened and when it did, they ignored her and kept
watching the TV.

Bernice,
Eric, Patrick, Immanuel, and Chris watched the concert together with the rest
of their school at the UTEP Center. Their local businesses donated the big
screen televisions that were put up all over the stadium, the drinks, and the food
that was there. Not only the students of El Paso High School showed up, kids
and parents from all over El Paso and the surrounding areas made a night out of
watching the concert there with everyone else.

Bernice
not only had tears rolling down her cheeks, but she was crying, not because she
was sad, but because she was happy. One of her friends is out there on the
national stage performing for the world. Not just for viewers here in this
nation, but the concert is being televised around the world to those who wanted
to pick it up and show it to their viewers. On top of that, Josh gave one the
greatest performances she has ever seen. That includes all the mega bands that
sang before him. In her eyes, he was the show tonight.

Eric,
Patrick, Immanuel, and Chris were misty eyed, but they were able to keep it
together. It was hard, but they got through the song. When Daniel Sr. and the
rest of the family joined Josh, they turned away knowing if they watched they
will fall apart. When the Lopez family broke away from their moment, the
audience in El Paso and in Washington went crazy. Both of them chanted for Josh
to sing another song.

Seeing
that the chants were not going to stop, Daniel and the rest of the family stepped
to the side and let Josh do one of things he is great on, and that is sing. He
belted out a couple more songs from his own CD before calling it a night. The
crowd still wanted him to sing some more, but he did not feel right to have
more stage time than the other performers had. The final performer of the
evening made her way out and started her set. The fans jumped to their feet
when they saw Reba McEntire coming out.

Just
like the other performers when Reba ended her set, she thanked the president and
the first lady for the invite to perform tonight and said a few words to the
governor about his retirement. When she exited, the president and first lady
got up and started their way to the motorcades, followed by the Lopez family.
The audience refused to leave when Reba got off the stage. They stood there and
watched as the two motorcades make their way out of the area. Once they were no
longer in view, they started their own little concert.

It was
after one in the morning when the motorcades drove up to the White House. The
boys were shown to their rooms while the governor and his chief of staff were
given the use of one of the conference rooms. Rich had several things he needed
to talk with the governor about, and he did not think it could wait until they
got back to Austin.

The
president walked the governor, Rich, and Johnny to the conference room and bid
them goodnight before leaving them to do their business. The first items they
talked about were housekeeping things that they got through quickly. Then they
got to the subject none of them wanted to talk to the governor about, Martha.

"As you
know Governor Lopez I fielded the call from your ex-wife's attorney. The news
he delivered me was not good. Once again, she somehow wiggled her way into a
deal that will make you sick in your stomach. The only thing I can figure how
she was able to do that was because it is election year and no one wants to
deal with her."

"It
can't be worse than the deal the state gave her." The governor said as he got
up and grabbed himself a Pepsi. "At this point I don't care what happens to
her, as long as she is out of my hair and away from my children. The state deal
got that done by sending her back to Mexico and not allowing her to ever come
back."

Rich
looked over at the press secretary, trying to figure out how he was going to
break the news that he got to his boss. He knows no matter how he says it; it
will not go over well. Therefore, he decided to throw it out there and maybe
the governor will not yell loud enough to wake up the entire White House.

"I
don't want to be the person to give you this news, but the deal that she signed
is being thrown out." Governor Lopez slammed his fist on the table as he leaned
forward, giving Rich a death stare. "The judge and the district attorney felt
that due to her getting a stroke and landing up in a coma, they will go a
little easy on her."

"What
the hell were they thinking? They cannot go easy on her because she will take
that as a sign a weakness and use it to her advantage. So what did they give
her in return if it was not being sent back to Mexico, five, ten years in
prison? Please tell me they gave her prison time and didn't let her walk out
completely free."

"I am
afraid not sir, she actually got no jail time. She is going to walk out a free
woman under house arrest for ten years. As long as she follows the rules of
house arrest, she will get off in ten years and be a free woman. On top of
that, she will be able to stay here in the US for the rest of her life as long
as she doesn't break the law."

The
governor was filled with rage. He was boiling over with anger and did not know
what he was going to do. One thing is for certain, he cannot have his wife out
in the free to make trouble for their kids. Yes, she is under house arrest, but
that will not stop her from causing him trouble over their kids.

"Okay
the district of El Paso failed my family, but what about the Federal charges,
they are still pending? When are we expecting to see her in court for those?"

"Never
sir, they dropped the charges as well!" That was it the governor had enough.
His ex-wife keeps coming out on top and he cannot figure out how she does it.
No matter what he does or says, she somehow wiggles her way into great deals.

"Get me
the district attorney of El Paso County and the judge that ruled on this case
on the phone right now." Mr. Governor it is after two in the morning, they
are... "I don't care what time it is. If I am going to have a restless night, I
am sure as hell going to share it with them as well. Get them on the phone
right now or..."

The
governor did not have to finish his sentence. Rich picked up the phone and made
the call. While he was waking up the judge and the district attorney, the
governor asked Johnny to find out what he has to do to endorse someone else to
run against them for their positions.

It did
not take Rich more than five minutes to get the two people on the phone that
the governor wanted. Before the governor got on the line, he told Rich to get
his ex-wife's attorney on this call as well. He does not want anything thrown
at him later that he broke a law or got very close to breaking the law. Once
the three were in conference, the governor joined the call with Rich.

"Of all
things I did not need this today gentleman. I wanted one day, just one day
without drama to enjoy with my family and friends, but you people could not
give it to me. You figured I was away from Texas so you snuck in this deal. Let
me make this clear here and now, you messed with the wrong person on this."

All
three of them tried to interrupt the governor, but they were shot down. "You
were too chicken shit to take this down because you didn't want to spend any
more time on it than you already had. It would pull you off your election
campaigns and that you could not do. Well you just woke up a sleeping giant
that is going to rain hell on you two.

Mr.
District Attorney when the outgoing district attorney, the now State Attorney
General, left, I am sure he told you it is better having me as a friend, not a
enemy. You sir made me an enemy. As we are speaking, my staff is looking into
the people running against you for your position. If I do not like any of them,
I will bring in a new person that I can endorse and I will. I will spend every
waking minute of my time from here until Election Day in your county going door
to door talking to the voters. When Election Day comes around, you will be out
and there will be a district attorney in the office that has balls to prosecute
their cases.

You
your honor, I cannot even figure out why you signed onto this. Yes, you have to
run for your seat, but that does not stop any judge from doing their work. You
two do not campaign as a candidate does. All you do is make a few commercials,
put up signs, and billboards. That is your campaign and that is why I am
confused that you of all people did this. Therefore, I am going to do the same
thing I promised the district attorney I was going to do to him. Come Election
Day you will join him."

"Sir
you do not have to do that. If I knew you were going to take it the way you are
taking it, I would have never entertained the idea of a new plea bargain.
Let..."

"Your honor
there is nothing you can do about it and my ex-wife's attorney knows that. That
is why I can hear him chuckling as you try to back paddle there. The forms are
signed and that is all she wrote. You should have known how I was going to take
you giving my ex-wife a slap on the hand. Even if I was not governor, you
should have respected the law and thrown the book at her for what she did.

You, my
ex-wife's attorney, I am not going to bother to learn your name. If you did not
show me respect, I am not going to show you any in return. What I am going to
do is what I did to the last law firm that screwed with me dealing with my
ex-wife. They are not around today because of what they did. Therefore, in six
months or less, you will not be around as well. Enjoy this moment! Keep
laughing, because this is the last time you are going to smile." The governor
was about to hang up when he remembered something.

"Oh, if
any of you are recording this conversation, I would think twice before using
it. I will look bad when it comes out, but when it does, you will be slapped
with a lawsuit. No one is allowed to record an elected official unless there
was a warrant issued to do so. I know there was not one in this matter."

Governor
Lopez hung up the phone and looked over to his chief-of-staff. "Have the State
Attorney General meet me in El Paso at the airport when I land tomorrow. Inform
him I want him to be ready to file state charges against my ex-wife. I am not
afraid or a pussy to prosecute her for what she has done, unlike the feds and
the district of El Paso."

The
governor left the conference room, leaving his staff stunned on his request.
They thought it was settled. He was not going to go after his ex-wife because
of who he is. The voters may take it wrong if he does. They may look at him as
a scorned ex-spouse trying to use the power of his office to get back at his
ex-wife. All that Rich and the other staff members could hope for is that the
governor will change his mind after getting a goodnights rest.

TO BE
CONTINUED...

I have
a home page for you to see what the characters look like or what the places
look like. If you want to walk in their shoes, please go to: http://jacobmillertex.com/

WRITER'S
CORNER:

{Before
I do my normal summation, I need to get the legal stuff out of the way first.
The first song I listed as Josh's, is not his or the other songs in this
chapter. The first song is called, `The Best Things in Life' and the actual
artist is a very talented singer/songwriter by the name of Andrew Mahony in Australia. He is fifteen years old, and has a very beautiful voice. Right now, his CD has
not been released, but if you want more information about him please write my
editor Trevor because he knows the artist. Thank you Trevor, for bringing him
to my attention. Also thank you on obtaining his permission to allow me to use
his songs as Josh's songs in this story.

Now the
other two songs you had to know. The actual artist to Livin' La Vida Loca is no
other than the great Ricky Martin. The song was composed by Desmond Child and
Draco Rosa. I grew up listening to him in Mumcero de Papel. When he broke into
a solo career, I was happy, but not as happy as when he came out and said he
was gay. I was overjoyed and hell, a childhood dream comes true. The guy is hot
and more so in his leather pants singing the Livin La Vivia Loca.

The
final song, `Because You Loved Me', was sung originally released by Celine
Dion, written by Diane Warren and produced by David Foster. I did not use her
version of the song; instead, I used Clay Aiken's, the runner up of season two
of American Idol. I like the kid's voice, it matched Josh, and how he
rearranged the song was just right.

Welcome
back all to another filled chapter of "Shadow of My Father". I know I did not
get pass one day in this chapter, but I felt to do justice to the plot line in
this chapter I had to spend the time I did on it. I hope you enjoyed the videos
in this chapter and were able to feel what Josh was feeling when he sang to his
father.

Since
there were not a lot of plots in this story, the summation is going to be
short. The Lopez boys enjoyed every minute of their time in Washington. They
were able to stay in the White House, which would make any person envious. I
wonder if Josh is going to see a ghost in this place when we get back to him in
the next chapter.

Josh
and Cesar were able to fool around a little bit before they went to the
concert. They are just great together, complementing each other. I like Chris
and all, but Josh and Cesar really belong together. I have said this already a
lot and I am sure you all are tired of hearing me say it, but I am going to say
it again. They are going to be together for good by the looks of the way their
love is blossoming.

We saw
that Daniel Jr., Carlos, and Brandon were able to have fun about Josh and Cesar
having a roll in the hay. They have come a very long way from the day Josh came
out. If the two older brothers were the same as they were back then, without a
doubt they would have busted through the doors of the hotel room and gave Josh
and Cesar hell. Nevertheless, they are not, and instead they loved it that
their brother was happy.

What
can I say about the concert that you guys did not get by reading the chapter?
It was a great concert with all those artists. The younger generation and the
older generation were able to enjoy themselves there because of the great
mixture of music that was being performed. Josh, well he did what he does and
sings from his heart and brings everyone along for the ride. I wish the story
was true and we were able to see Josh break out of his comfort zone singing the
Livin' La Vida Loca.

If any
of you thought that the governor was going to react any different than he did
when he heard the news about Martha, you were wrong. He reacts the way we all
knew he would have and I am glad. I hope that he does not change his mind on
what he threatened from outing those that made the deal to prosecuting Martha
at the state level.

I am
sure if I forgot anything, Trevor will put it in his editor's corner. Do not
forget about all the open plots I mentioned in my last writer's corner. From
the ones that were opened in this story, to the ones in the other stories. They
are going to unfold very soon and you cannot miss it.

I could stay here all day long,
with all the open plots already in this story, but I will not. I warn you
though! Do not skip a chapter, or you will be lost. There is a so much to
answer in the chapters to come. Keep reading the future chapters, and enjoy!
Please email me and let me know how I am doing at jacob@jacobmillertex.com, Thanks!}

EDITOR'S CORNER:

Well,
it is another emotional chapter from Jacob. He knows how to get me sobbing my
heart out when it comes to Josh. I will say it again and again this is my
favorite of all Jacob's stories.

When I
heard Andrew Mahony's song for the first time recently, I could picture in my
mind Josh singing it and Andrew willingly gave me permission to pass it on to
Jacob. He has several other songs, which I am sure will be suitable for the
CD.

What a
great day for Daniel Senior. I am sure many of the people in the crowd will
remember this day when he is elected president.

That
concert, what I would give to have been there, all those big stars including
one of my favorites Garth Brooks. I happened to be in New York all those years
ago now when he performed in Central park and it was one of the highlights of
my life.

Back to
the story, I think President Bush realizes that he is on the way out and by
inviting Daniel as his running mate he is clutching at straws.

Martha,
The Bitch Witch, will never give up until she is dead and it appears Daniel
senior will do anything he can to stop her. I hope he succeeds. I noticed
that a lot of you are sick to death of hearing about Martha so maybe, just
maybe Jacob will finally finish her off.

Josh
and Cesar, well they love each other so much and being horny teenagers find it
hard keeping their hands off each other (Been there done that and loved it). At
least the rest of the family now understand and approve what the pair of them
are up to, even if they are a little bit jealous that they can't do the same
with their partners (One of the advantages of having a same sex partner).

Not a
lot more to talk about, except to once more congratulate Jacob for another
great chapter, and for making me cry, again.

We love
to hear from you so please let us know what you think of this and all the other
stories and chapters. I love working with Jacob, Ed and the other guys, it is
a great team. Do not forget my stories as well and please let me know how I am
going.